SYLLABUS
Earth Science Outside – Rocks and Minerals, EDUC5215-382
Enrolls concurrently with USOE “OnTrack 34751 Earth Science Outside, ROCKS and
MINERALS, Wasatch Front.”
Summer Workshop – Taught in July
Note – this workshop is offered for diverse types of credit, USOE OnTrack, SUU, or WSU
with some modifications of expectations for homework. Read this syllabus for a general
sense of the workshop… know that some specifics are for SUU only.
For General Professional Development
1 – credit. 15.5 hours of contact time.
To qualify for credit, Southern Utah University requires that learners must complete 15 hours of
contact time per credit hour in any given course
Additional course information: http://www.earthscienceeducation.org
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Genevieve Atwood, PhD
801-534-1894; 801-647-8155 (cell)
Office: Earth Science Education, 30 U Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
GenevieveAtwood@icloud.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This Earth science course prepares teachers to teach concepts of minerals and rocks stressing
processes of the rock cycle. Participants gain confidence and competence on how to respond to
the formidable “what is this rock?” in ways that encourage observation and inquiry for students
of diverse abilities. The course is taught outside using Salt Lake County places and vistas as
outdoor classrooms.
LEARNING MATERIALS:
Earth Science Education’s sponsors provide course materials. Teacher-participants receive about
$50 worth of classroom supplies such as the course text (looseleaf format also posted to website) and a rock hounding guide to Utah rocks and fossils. Teachers who successfully complete
the course receive a 10x Hastings hand lens, donated by Wheeler Machinery Co.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1) Knowledge of the physical world
Participants will:
i. recall terminology
ii. categorize Earth materials, specifically bedrock versus sediment and three bedrock types
iii. articulate and illustrate fundamental Earth science principles, specifically, the rock cycle
2) Inquiry and analysis
Participants will:
i. value observation as a way to obtain knowledge of Earth system science
ii. demonstrate curiosity about nature and about science through questions about rocks and
minerals
iii. write a narrative about a local rock which coveys at least one concept of Earth science
iv tie their narrative to Utah’s science core and show relevance to students
3) Critical thinking
Participants will:
i. integrate knowledge of the rock cycle to derive conclusions regarding rocks presented to them
ii. be able to coach their students to distinguish five significant minerals
iii. identify the five major agents of sedimentation
iv. compare and contrast processes of lithification, metamorphism, and melting/crystallization.
COURSE ASSESSMENT TABLE:
Day 1
Day 2
exercises
exercises
and HW01 and HW02
Knowledge
Inquiry and
Analysis
Critical
thinking
Day 3
exercises
and HW03
Day 4
exercises
and HW04
Day 5
exercises
and HW05
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
HW06 -ties to
science
core
x
x
x
COURSE OBJECTIVES
After this course, teacher-participants will be able to go outside with their students, teach what
they see, and discuss how Earth processes change Earth’s materials. They will be able to role
model observation, curiosity, and wonder. They will recognize expressions of the rock cycle,
specifically, bedrock versus sediments. They will be able to communicate minerals’ relevance to
students.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
REQUIREMENTS: Participants must attend all five sessions. The course assumes an hour of
homework for every class contact hour. Daily homework includes reading and written
assignments that culminate in a final project. The participant’s final project tells the story of a
rock they collect during the course. The narrative is for classroom use appropriate to grade. The
Earth science content of the story generally includes concepts of the rock cycle.
HW01- Homework #1. What interests you (inquiry) about rocks/minerals and science?
Reflective writing to distinguish nuances of key terminology.
HW02- Homework #2. Begin major reading assignment. In class exercise: diverse ways to teach
the rock cycle.
HW03- Homework #3. Continue reading assignment. In class exercise: diverse clues to bedrock
origin and to sedimentation history. Outline your narrative. What is the big concept? What
should your students understand? Demonstrate your own understanding of the two overarching
Earth science concepts of this course: tectonics and erosion/deposition.
HW04- Homework #4. Work collaboratively on each other’s narratives. Think critically about
concepts of tectonics and erosion/deposition by explaining to each other.
HW05- Homework #5. Your literary piece: a narrative, written and illustrated, appropriate to
grade, analyzes a rock collected during this course. Convey a concept of Earth science,
preferably about the rock cycle.
HW06- Homework #6. Identify and connect a concept from each day to the science core. This
assignment distinguishes requirements of EDUC5215-382 from USOE On-Track 34751 for
relicensure.
RUBRICS for Earth Science Outside Summer Courses.
Evaluations explore learning objectives of: inquiry, analysis, critical thinking, and content knowledge.
Course grade:
60% on final project (narrative for classroom use)
25% on homework assignments
15% on in-class exercises and interactions.
Consistently Advanced: A
Intermediate to Advanced: AIntermediate: B
Novice: C
Non-responsive or Inadequate: D
INQUIRY: Demonstrate curiosity. Appreciate how questions drive science.
Advanced: Higher order inquiry about: the nature of applications syntheses, significance; or causal
relationships. “Analysis Inquiry”
Intermediate: Mid-order inquiry calling for clarification of definitions or effects. “Comprehension
inquiry”
Novice: Lower-order inquiry calling for facts. “Knowledge inquiry”
Non-responsive or Inadequate
ANALYSIS: Value observations; Communicate Earth science concept(s) logically; Tie course knowledge
to Utah science core
Advanced: Embrace observations and uncertainty; Use evidence to draw logical inferences; Use theory as
a guide to test inferences.
Intermediate: Systematically articulate and record observations; Distinguish patterns; articulate theory and
course concepts using own words.
Novice: Distinguish observations from interpretations; Follows logic of text and classroom assignments.
Non-responsive or Inadequate
CRITICAL THINKING: Integrate theory with Earth science outside; Distinguish evidence outside using
categories from coursework; Compare and contrast nuanced processes;
Advanced: Gives examples beyond those of course; Clarify definitions; Articulate nuances. Abundant
specifics. Explores causal relationships.
Intermediate: Sees connections, can relate to personal experience, articulates contrasts.
Novice: States the obvious, Can give examples similar to those of course content. Desire to learn.
Non-responsive or Inadequate
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE: Recall terminology; Articulate Earth science concepts; Illustrate using one
or more learning modalities.
Advanced: Mastery. Can explain course content to others using more than one learning modality; Final
project conveys course concepts appropriate to grade with potential to interest students in Earth science
outside.
Intermediate: Solid work. Can explain course content and identify evidence in the field with coaching
from instructor. Draws conclusions using big concepts.
Novice: Getting there. Can rephrase course content using course verbiage.
Non-responsive or Inadequate
Attendance Policy: Students are required to attend all class times. Students may attend morning
or afternoon sessions and mix and match.
Emergency Management Statement: Outdoor classroom experiences have inherent risks.
Teacher-participants are expected to adhere and contribute to a safe environment including but
not limited to alerting instructor to concerns. Safety first.
Academic Integrity: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent. You expected to have read and understood Policy 6.33 Academic Integrity and the
current issue of the student handbook (published by Student Services) regarding student
responsibilities and rights.
ADA Statement: Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring
academic adjustments, accommodations or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Southern Utah
University Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), in Room 206F of the
Sharwan Smith Center or phone (435) 865-8022. SSD determines eligibility for and authorizes
the provision of services.
HEOA Compliance statement: The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P)
file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law. Detailed
information can be found at http://www.suu.edu/it/p2p-student-notice.html.
Disclaimer: Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments,
makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed
appropriate by the instructor.
PROGRAM OF STUDY
This introductory field-based Earth science course coaches teachers to relate to their students’
rocks and minerals by teaching the rock cycle. It emphasizes process over rock/mineral
identification. Its goal is for teacher to gain confidence to go outside, recognize the Earth science
that surrounds them, and teach students what they see. Each session is held outside and includes
a walk of discovery, lecture, collaboration and in-class exercises. Daily homework assignments
solidify comprehension.
CONTENT: Earth science concepts of (1) rock cycle; (2) processes driven primarily by
tectonics (uneven distribution of heat within Earth); (3) processes driven primarily by weather
and climate (uneven distribution of effects of solar energy); and (4) Utah rocks, minerals,
heritage and society.
SESSION
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
TIME
8:30 – 11:30 AM OR
5 – 8 PM
8:30 – 11:30 AM OR
5 – 8 PM
8:30 – 11:30 AM OR
PLACE
Wite Cemetery
Temple Quarry park
Warm Springs Park
ADDRESS
3475 West 9000 South,
South Jordan
Mouth of Little
Cottonwood Canyon
840 North 300 West
5 – 8 PM
Session 4
8:30 – noon OR
5 – 8 PM
Session 5
8:30 – 11:30 AM OR
5 – 8 PM
northwest of the (old)
Children’s Museum
FIELD TRIP probably to
Bingham Copper Mine
leaves from Copper Hills
High School
Fort Douglas historical
cemetery
Salt Lake City
bus leaves from
5445 New Bingham
Highway (7800 South)
460 South Chipeta,
UofU research park
Session 1: Introduction to rocks, minerals, bedrock, and sediment.
 Distinguish bedrock from unconsolidated materials (sediments)
 Understand the homogeneous nature of minerals and the heterogeneous nature of rocks
 Observe and classify sediments versus bedrock
 Classify tombstones by bedrock type (metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary bedrock)
 Identify minerals in tombstones: quartz, feldspar, mica, calcite, and little dark minerals.
 Discuss cemeteries as opportunities for outdoor learning.
Session 2: Introduction to the rock cycle.
 Recognize bedrock and sediments in the field
 Sediments of Little Cottonwood Canyon
 Igneous bedrock of Little Cottonwood Canyon
 Metamorphic bedrock of Little Cottonwood Canyon
 Sedimentary processes: weathering, erosion, transport and deposition
 Agents of erosion and deposition: wind, water, glacial ice, ground failure, and humans
 The rock cycle, a systems approach
Session 3: Role model ways to respond to “what is this rock”.
 Practice how to tell the story of a rock as the story of the rock cycle
 Distinguish observations from interpretation
 Observe characteristics of rocks collected from Little Cottonwood Creek
 Interpret the rock’s history
 Tell the history of the rock as the story of materials recycled by Earth’s rock cycle
Session 4 FIELD TRIP to Bingham Copper Mine (or substitute if visitor center not open).
 Review bedrock versus sediment; and bedrock types
 Recognize the modern and historic importance of mining and minerals
 Discuss how and why mining affects the environment
 Discuss the relevance of rocks and minerals to our daily lives
 Discuss natural resources, specifically rocks and minerals, of the Wasatch Front
 Discus fossils and the Wasatch Front… predict where fossils might be found
 Discuss the interdependence of science, technology and society
 Discuss careers and hobbies in earth science
Session 5: The rock cycle as a story





Play games designed to teach concepts of rocks, minerals, and the rock cycle and clarify
nuances.
Link rocks and minerals to literacy appropriate to grade
Work collaboratively. Repeat to remember and remember to repeat.
Share information about books with rocks or minerals or about rocks and minerals, such as,
Robinson Crusoe and Everyone Needs a Rock
Discuss ways to teach intended learning outcomes using the rock cycle